LEARNING MODULE 1:

THE FIELD OF YOUTH INTERVENTION

JADE SCHLEIF, AMERICORPS PROMISE FELLOW LEADER

View this video: Learning Module 1 from a youth worker’s perspective If you haven’t already clicked the video link on your YIC Syllabus page, please watch Jade’s message now before you begin reading this learning module. Thank you.

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INTRODUCTION

How will learning about The Field of Youth Intervention help me in my work?

Your Youth Intervention Certification training begins with a broad, historical overview to help you appreciate how the field of youth work developed more than 100 years ago and continues to evolve today.

While many countries around the world were on a similar trajectory, based on evolving theories of childhood and adolescence at the time, for this training our focus is specifically on the United States.

Still, it is important that you know you’re actually part of a global network of people who dedicate their life’s work to helping young people thrive.

This will help you appreciate how you fit into the bigger picture and how your work truly does make an impact beyond just the program you serve. It can be easy to lose sight of that bigger impact when you’ve got your head down, dealing with the day to day work.

The work you do helps the youth you serve as much as it helps our communities and our society as a whole. Think about it – in all kinds of schools where youth workers serve, in all the different churches and places of worship, in all the mentoring programs, in all kinds of clubs, in all sorts of summer camps, in so many different kinds of out-of-school programs, in teen centers in cities small and large all across the country – there is hardly a place where youth are that you won’t find some sort of youth worker there to build a caring relationship. The impact of your work is virtually unlimited.

In your role as a youth worker, you’re called on to wear many different hats. These different roles will require you to develop your ability to adapt and respond in the moment. Many of the core competencies you’ll need - communications, cultural responsiveness, behavioral interventions, ethics – will be addressed throughout this training.

You can see that the field of youth work is very diverse and there is often not any general agreement about what it does and how it works. It seems there will always be a debate about terms and definitions used so it’s important that we address a common misperception about the term ‘intervention.’

Youth Intervention is sometimes misunderstood as having a negative connotation, as if only ‘bad kids’ or ‘troubled youth’ would need interventionservices. We see Youth Intervention as an umbrella term that encompasses all the variety and diversity of the programs, and the youth they serve.

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By definition, ‘intervention’ simply means ‘becoming involved in something in order to have an influence on what happens.’

Youth workers become involved in the lives of the youth they serve in order to have an influence on how those young people grow into successful adults.

Seen through this lens, ALL youth work is an intervention of some sort.

Youth work has a long history and tradition of change, growth, and evolution – the field itself as well as the individuals who do the work. Professional development plays a critical role in the ongoing evolution and growth of the field. Your commitment to completing the Youth Intervention Certification training demonstrates your willingness to play a more meaningful part in advancing the field. That benefits youth everywhere!

Learning tip:

As you go through this learning module, keep these learning objectives in mind. Read them now as you begin the module. As a best practice, re-read them for a refresher before you begin each section. Then, at the end of each section, reflect back on what you’ve just learned and think about the elements that best relate to your learning objectives.

The quiz at the end of the module is based on these objectives. So, you can be well-prepared for the quiz by making sure you are taking in the key lessons outlined in these learning objectives.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Gain a broader perspective about the field of Youth Intervention and the value of youth work

2. Understand your role as a youth worker

3. Create a customized self-care plan

4. Learn the importance of continuing your professional development

1. THE EVOLUTION OF YOUTH WORK

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It might surprise you to learn that the concept of ‘childhood’ as a distinct stage of human development only began to evolve sometime in the mid-1800s. Until then, children were basically seen as miniature adults.

But the thinking of the day was that children had natural tendencies toward bad behavior. Because children were seen as inherently bad, the basic premise was that unless adults provided strict intervention, children wouldn’t amount to much.

Intervention in those days was focused primarily on discipline and putting young people to work. Keeping them busy would keep them out of trouble and teach them useful skills for self-sufficiency. This was a period where apprenticeships were commonly arranged for older youth. Formal education was not prevalent.

How we saw children and childhood began to change when an English philosopher named John Locke, and American transcendentalists, formulated a view of children as inherently good human beings. They saw outside influences as the root of bad behavior in children rather than children being inherently prone to bad behavior.

Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution in the nineteenth century further supported the idea that a person’s environment could influence their behavior and development. That led to a shift in thinking about ‘childhood’ as a period of critical development. The basic premise became that with appropriate nurturing, children could be molded into healthy, thriving adults.

Taking this new view that children needed particular preparation, guidance, and support to grow successfully into adulthood, the German educator, Friedrich Froebel, started the kindergarten movement. From there, more programs and services for children began to develop.

As our understanding of childhood was evolving, people began to appreciate the significance of ‘youth’ as a group to be recognized. Newspaper articles of the day were highlighting the various challenges facing young people. Public interest in ‘youth’ was growing and psychologists began to formulate theories of ‘adolescence’ as yet another unique stage of human development.In 1904, an American psychologist and educator, G. Stanley Hall, wrote a groundbreaking book, “Adolescence,” that compiled all the known research and theories of the time and laid out a foundational understanding of this distinct developmental stage that holds up even today.

Certain dynamics of the time such as the introduction of child labor laws, compulsory education laws, and the addition of high school as part of formal education contributed to a delay in entrance of youth into the job market (a

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marker of achieving adulthood). The period of adolescence became even more defined as a result.

And that paved the way for the introduction of institutions and programs specifically designed to nurture the needs of youth. We see the emergence of YMCAs, YWCAs, 4-H clubs, Scouting, Boys and Girls Clubs, among many other mentoring and youth development programs.

In the 1950s, juvenile delinquency began to be researched. People were starting to see that punishing young offenders did not appear to deter future criminal behavior. Alternatives to punishment were emerging to ‘treat troubled youth.’ The juvenile court system was created then to focus on rehabilitation of youth.

In 1960, two criminologists who had been researching juvenile delinquency presented a theory that identified lack of opportunity for youth as the major contributor to delinquency. The work of Richard Cloward and Lloyd Ohlin became known as opportunity theory. They saw lack of opportunities for youth as the problem.

If lack of opportunity for youth was the problem then punishing youth for delinquent behavior was not working because it was not addressing the problem seen as the root cause. Their perspective was that providing at-risk youth with increased opportunity for success would effectively prevent juvenile delinquency.

Throughout the period of 1950–1970, treatment programs for adolescents expanded to address issues that had an adverse impact on society as a whole, such as substance use, conduct disorder, academic failure, and teen pregnancy.

This was the point in history when we started to see specific services for youth focus on the prevention of problems for the first time.

At first, prevention programs that aimed to address one single problem were put in place but having such a singular focus proved largely ineffective. Programs evolved to identify and address the precursors of a problem.

Seeing more success with that approach, we’ve taken more steps toward a focus on the whole child, on their environment and on meeting developmental needs in supportive ways.

We’re learning to address risk factors and protective factors for multiple problems, at critical developmental stages.

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Here we are today, in the early 21st century, and the field of youth work continues to evolve. Many programs are now grounded in a more positive perspective and understanding of youth. Many strengths-based approaches have been introduced, with a greater focus on helping young people achieve developmental milestones and grow to become thriving adults.

Your chosen career - youth work, as a profession – is a wide-open field full of growth and opportunity. In many ways, the field is still evolving and undoubtedly, there will be many changes ahead.

The future of youth work will be shaped by the youth work professionals such as yourself who choose to challenge what’s not working, to pioneer new models of service, and to advocate relentlessly on behalf of the youth they serve. Working in this constantly evolving field, you really have the opportunity as well as the responsibility to create your career as you go.

You truly are part of something big.

WHO IS SERVED BY YOUTH WORK

Thinking about who is served by youth work, the natural first thought is young people, of course!

Because youth work has often been misunderstood as something that is primarily for the benefit of troubled youth, underprivileged youth, or at-risk youth for example, it will be more useful for you to work from this more expansive principle of youth development as the framework for your learning:

Youth work is intended to meet the needs and develop competencies for all youth, not just those engaged in problem behaviors or perceived to be at risk for doing so. Because all youth must grow through a specific developmental process to become successful adults, all youth are at risk for problems.

This principle ties in perfectly with our perspective that all youth work is an intervention of some sort. Coming from this positive point of view about youth work and the youth that are served, it’s easy to see the broader, more far-reaching benefit of youth work overall.

While youth work has a direct and often measurable benefit on the young people being served, there are also direct and indirect benefits to our communities and society as a whole. Let’s look into this more closely.

OUR YOUNG PEOPLE

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Although there was a time when children were seen as inherently bad, our understanding has evolved. Most of the theory and practice of youth work today is grounded in the perspective that youth are inherently good and that they will reach their best potential when they are sufficiently supported, cared for, nurtured, and encouraged at every stage of their development.

Still, terms meant to broadly identify populations of youth being served continue to be used. Often, such descriptions are meant to help potential funders understand the need for services. Unfortunately, they can also carry a negative connotation:

At-risk youth Opportunity youth Under-served youth Troubled youth Juvenile delinquents Underprivileged youth Vulnerable youth Youth who are struggling Low income youth Under-represented youth

And this could be a contributing factor to society’s ongoing misunderstanding about the work that you do and the critical importance of the services you provide.

In truth, youth programs currently serve youth across every spectrum of need, class, socio-economic status, race/culture, gender, age – you get the picture – all youth.

There is an abundance of early childhood programs and those programs are specific to youth under the age of 8. The focus of this training will touch on the middle childhood years to help you understand the developmental stages that precede adolescence. But it is the adolescent age group - teenagers – that we’ll primarily focus on for this training.

Different programs will have their own specific goals and outcomes that they aim to achieve with the youth they serve. But in general, Youth Intervention programs for teens will provide supports within these five basic competency areas identified by Pittman (1991)1 as essential for success in adulthood:

1. Health and Physical Competence - Good current health status plus evidence of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors that will ensure future health. 

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2. Personal and Social Competence - Skills for understanding self and having self-discipline; working with others, communicating, cooperating, negotiating, and building relationships; coping, adapting, and being responsible; and finally, making good judgments, evaluating, making decisions, and problem-solving. 

3. Cognitive and Creative Competence - Useful knowledge and abilities to appreciate and participate in areas of creative expression for thinking, seeing, feeling, tasting, and hearing. 

4. Vocational Competence - Understanding and awareness of life planning and career choices, leisure and work options, and steps to act on those choices.

5. Citizenship Competence - Understanding of personal values, moral and ethical decision-making, and participation in public efforts of citizenship that contribute to the community and the nation.

You can see that Youth Intervention programs provide a great number of benefits to young people. The greatest benefit to youth who are served by Youth Intervention programs is YOU – the youth worker. Research shows that the caring relationship a youth worker provides is associated with a number of youth well-being outcomes2:

Children and adolescents who have a formal or informal “mentor-like” relationship with someone outside their home are less likely to have externalizing behavior problems (bullying) and internalizing problems (depression).

They are also more likely to complete tasks they start, remain calm in the face of challenges, show interest in learning new things, volunteer in the community, engage in physical activities, participate in out-of-school time activities, and be engaged in school.

Additionally, those who have a caring adult outside the home are more likely to talk with their parents about “things that really matter.”

Link to learn more: Child Trends Research Brief

OUR COMMUNITIESThere isn’t a lot of buzz in the general public about all the great things youth workers achieve. You don’t see many stories in the media except around certain holiday times or events. So, it can feel a little like maybe people aren’t really paying attention.

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Most youth workers don’t get into this field for the possibility of recognition or fame. Most are content to quietly do the work and know the difference they make and the appreciation of the young people they’ve helped, is more than enough.

But sometimes it’s easy to have doubts about the outcomes of your work. This is true in any profession, but it can be especially true in the field of Youth Intervention. Anecdotal stories of success are nice and make people feel good. But they are not enough to provide evidence that the field is making a difference.

What the general public has not yet come to know is just how much of a difference you make.

But research is underway and data is being collected in states all across the country to put some quantifiable facts together. In YIPA’s home state of Minnesota, Youth Intervention programs receive funding through the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Office of Justice Programs.

The grant recipient agencies report their results to the Office of Justice Programs and that data provides evidence that investment in Youth Intervention programs is effective.

Comparing pre- and post-survey responses3 by youth in Youth Intervention programs, the Office of Justice found significant improvement across a variety of behavioral areas is being made by participating youth. Results include:

Increased satisfaction with school, as well as improved attendance and behavior

Increased satisfaction with school grades/achievement A decrease in the frequency of missing assignments or homework Increased frequency of participation in after-school activities A decrease in experiencing threats, fear or physical harm at school or

school-related activities Improved decision-making skills Improved problem-solving skills Improved goal-setting skills Greater ability to admit mistakes or wrongdoing Increased ability to control anger Less propensity to get revenge when wronged or harmed

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Additionally, 9 out of 10 youth did not have the police bring them home since they started a Youth Intervention program nor did they receive a ticket, citation, or a new charge.

The benefits to communities when their young people have access to supportive youth programs are many. Healthier young people, better equipped for success, having little or no involvement with the juvenile justice system, civically engaged and developing prosocial behaviors contribute to more vibrant and safer communities.

OUR SOCIETY AS A WHOLEAs a youth worker, you might not have given much thought to the value of your work, in monetary terms. But this is how decisions about funding your programs are often framed so it is helpful to have at least a basic understanding.

When young people do not receive the support and guidance they need to develop into healthy, productive, contributing members of our society, we all pay a price. The more you know about both the economic costs and the social costs, the better you will be able to articulate the tangible and intangible value of the service you provide to society.

Economic cost:Your work saves taxpayers money. This is because Youth Intervention programs take youth who are at risk of becoming consumers of public services and support them in becoming contributors to the common good in our communities. While a Youth Intervention program impacts a youth’s immediate situation, the benefits continue throughout their life.

Social cost:A Social Return on Investment (SROI) study was completed by Amherst H. Wilder Foundation and the University of Minnesota in 2007. Their findings show nearly a $5 return on every $1 invested in youth. This benchmark study demonstrates in economic terms that the outcomes of your work save money.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation conducted a study in 20114 that found placing youth in the juvenile justice system is much costlier than community-based Youth Intervention programs and does not improve public safety. The Foundation’s findings powerfully document the direct financial benefits of quality community-based Youth Intervention programs.

Link to learn more: The Annie E. Casey Foundation

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YOU! – OUR YOUTH WORKERMany people who enter the field of youth work say they have a natural passion to help young people, they just feel called to do this work, they were once helped by a youth worker themselves, they want to make a real difference in the world. The reasons are unique to each individual but the common theme that weaves them all together is caring.You have an innate ability to build a trusting relationship with young people and that is an uncommon skill, one not easily learned. You somehow developed a passion to do this work that many other people would never have the patience for. You have the ability to bring your whole self to the task, to show up authentically, even fearlessly for youth. That sets you apart from a whole lot of other adults in a young person’s life. The work you do demands that you put your heart into it. It requires you to come from a place of genuine care and concern to see youth succeed. It means you have to know how to connect. And you have to listen more than most other people know how. Even though the job doesn’t come with a big salary or a fancy title, you have chosen to follow your heart. It’s what all of us are encouraged to do. Given that we only have one life to life, we’re urged to do something we love so that life will be meaningful, not measured just by monetary gains.All this is to say that clearly, not everyone can do the work you do.Being able to do work that you love, to see firsthand how your work has positively improved another person’s life, to know that what you do for a young person today can have beneficial results for years, maybe even generations ahead, well that is a rare and fulfilling career!There are not a whole lot of people who genuinely love the work they do. If you’ve committed yourself to working with youth, you are one of those few who do. The benefit to you is beyond measure.

WHAT IS YOUTH INTERVENTION

It’s helpful to recall that Youth Intervention is an umbrella term that describes a wide array of youth work. And intervention simply means ‘becoming involved in something in order to have an influence on what happens.’

We’ve framed youth work from the perspective that it is intended to meet the needs and develop competencies for all youth, not just those engaged in problem behaviors or perceived to be at risk for doing so. Because all youth

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must grow through a specific developmental process to become successful adults, all youth are at risk for problems.

You learned this earlier and it certainly bears repeating: ALL youth work is an intervention of some sort.

When you think about it, it’s not really surprising that there is no single approach or program that everyone agrees on. There is often no common language for talking about how youth work is done, or what outcomes are achieved, or how youth benefit exactly, or why a caring adult makes such a big difference. In short, there are no universal standards of service.

The field of Youth Intervention has many different programs, approaches, models, and promising new ideas all the time. And that diversity is perhaps the very reason youth intervention works so well. It may have not been intentionally designed that way, but these various programs are an asset, reflecting the diverse needs of our youth.

Regardless of approach, what all Youth Intervention programs have in common is helping young people become productive adults and contributing members of society rather than consumers of public services.

There can be no debate about this: Youth Intervention has proven outcomes and a documented social return on investment – it works, it saves money and we need more of it!

Your work with young people provides invaluable benefits that reach well beyond each individual youth you support.

TYPES OF YOUTH INTERVENTION PROGRAMS

With the understanding that Youth Intervention programs are intended to meet the needs and develop competencies for all youth, it’s easy to see why there are so many different types of programs.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at five types of programs that provide Youth Intervention services. This is certainly not an exhaustive list, but encompasses the most common types of Youth Intervention services.

PRE-COURT DIVERSION PROGRAMSIn general, pre-court diversion programs are an alternative to prosecution. The goal is to intervene with youth before they are in a situation where they are facing criminal charges.

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These programs generally redirect youthful offenders from the justice system and help to prevent future criminal activity among certain offenders. If a young person has committed a minor offense, keeping them in their own community and out of the expensive and overloaded justice system is always a more appropriate response. And these programs save tax dollars that are better spent on turning youth around.

Here are some examples of pre-court diversion programs:

Truancy Intervention Shoplifting Prevention/Intervention Curfew Violation Sexual Perpetrator Counseling Vandalism Prevention/Intervention Fire Awareness Drug/Alcohol Prevention/Intervention Tobacco Use Prevention/Intervention

Link to learn more: Diversion Programs

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAMSRestorative justice emphasizes the way in which crimes affect not only people, but also the community in which it occurs. This approach asks who has been hurt, what are their needs, and whose obligation is it to meet those needs?

According to Restorative Justice Colorado, “Restorative Justice is an approach to crime and wrongdoing that not only engages victims, offenders, and their affected communities, but it is in fact governed by these three stakeholders.

Restorative justice is about turning our attention and resources toward first recognizing harms experienced through crime, and then creating the conditions for that harm to be repaired, with a focus on righting relationships which have been thrown out of balance through harmful actions.”

Restorative justice is cost effective. In a study cited by Restorative Justice Colorado, these types of programs reduce the offender re-offense rate to 10%, compared to the national average of 60% with conventional justice programs. It also has the highest rates of satisfaction (90%+ from victims, communities & offenders),

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Restorative justice is gaining increasing recognition in the field of Youth Intervention. Here are some examples of restorative justice programs:

Victim/Offender Mediation Community Service Programs for Offenders Crime Victim Advocacy Restitution Services

Link to learn more: Restorative Justice Colorado

COUNSELING PROGRAMSCounseling programs help youth by guiding them in the exploration and understanding of their world. They help youth discover more constructive ways of thinking and/or behaving. Whether counseling is provided on an individual basis or in groups, some of the expected outcomes of counseling are:

Improved self-awareness Changed beliefs and/or cognitions Better relationships Improved self-regulation and control Increased self-esteem

Some examples of counseling programs include: Individual, Family & Group Counseling Crisis Intervention Outreach Services for "At-Risk" Youth Prostitution Counseling Chemical Health Assessments and Referrals Delinquency Prevention Teen Parenting/Pregnancy Counseling Runaway/Homeless Youth Services School Groups Peer Counseling Anger Management

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Culturally-specific Counseling Aftercare

Link to learn more: Lakes Center for Youth & Families

EDUCATION PROGRAMSEducation programs use a wide variety of approaches in teaching new skills and knowledge related to a specific topic or behavior. Some examples of education programs are:

Shoplifting/Vandalism Prevention Parenting Education Job Training/Preparation Drug/Alcohol Use Prevention Child Abuse Awareness Feelings and Values Awareness Conflict Resolution Cultural Awareness Tutoring Services

The amount of time these programs need to cover their material can range from a few hours to multiple days or even weeks.

AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMSYouth spend about two-thirds of their time away from school. Working with youth when they are not in school can significantly help them be emotionally and socially ready to interact and engage in academics and other classroom activities. As a result, after school programs are critical components in how a community supports its youth.

The bulk of Youth Intervention programs conduct their work outside of the school setting. Some examples of After-School Programs are:

Out of School Time (OST) Programs Tutoring Parks and Recreation Departments Clubs like Boy & Girl Scouts Art and Science Programs Entrepreneurial Programs

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Mentoring

Link to learn more: After-School Programs

While different types of programs have different aims and methodologies, each is effective in its own way at helping young people navigate through the various stages of development, guiding them to reach their full potential. What they all have in common is a caring adult, just like you, who is committed to being an ally and an advocate to young people.

One of the more challenging aspect of your work has to do with all the different things that are expected of you. In addition to your direct service with youth, there are agency and program responsibilities, administrative responsibilities, community obligations, and trainings to complete, and networking events to attend, and… well, you get the idea. You have many hats to wear!

YOUR YOUTH WORKER HATHave you ever stopped to think how many people simply could not do the work you do? It’s true - most of society just doesn’t view youth the same way you do.

You see young people through a lens of possibility and potential, recognizing the strengths they possess. You have respect for their ideas and you honor their voice and views.

You bring your whole self to your work with young people – you show up, you connect, you take care to create a welcoming space, you patiently give what you have and what you know to help them grow. Even when they may not seem to care, you are still there, taking care of their needs.

The unique value of the professional relationship a youth worker has with a young person is an example of a hat that does not come in a ‘one size fits all’ format.

YOUR ROLE MODEL HATWhen you’re dealing with multiple demands on your time and attention at work, it can be easy to lose sight of your real purpose - you serve youth and that is the bottom line in everything you do.

2. THE MANY HATS YOU WEAR

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And those young people are always watching you, wondering if you mean what you say and say what you mean, measuring your actions and behaviors, because they trust you and are eager to learn from your example.

In every decision you make, you need to answer this important question, “Do my behaviors and my words benefit the youth I serve?” As a Youth Intervention worker, you are the biggest factor in determining the impact that your program has on youth. A program can have a great facility or a wonderful curriculum, but it always comes down to the interactions and relationships that are built between the youth workers and young people in the programs.

View this video: We Are Youth Workers (run time 8:49 minutes)

YOUR STUDENT HATIt is often a misunderstanding that your employer or your agency is going to ensure your on-going professional development. Some do, some simply cannot. In truth, it is up to you to improve your skills and understanding each and every day. You can never be content to stop learning. This certification program is only one opportunity that you will have over time that will help you be more effective in serving youth and changing their lives for the better.

If your agency is able to provide formalized learning for you themselves, or they have the budget to offer outside training and professional development opportunities that you can take advantage of – go for it. Even if you think you know enough in a particular topic, there is always a benefit to refreshing yourself on the fundamentals.

Embrace learning as a lifelong pursuit. The student hat will never be out of style!

YOUR TEACHER HATSometimes you’re directly teaching specific program curriculum. Other times, you’re indirectly teaching through casual interactions and activities with young people. Always, you’re helping young people learn about themselves.

You engage youth in activities that allow them a safe place to test the edges, to try out new ideas and experiences, free from judgment. You help them learn how to be themselves as they develop toward self-sufficiency.

By your example, by your presence, by your willingness to offer them opportunities to learn from your experience as well as from the program

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materials you provide, your teacher hat is a fitting symbol of one of the most beneficial aspects of the youth worker/youth relationship.

YOUR TEAMMATE HATUnless you’re self-employed, you’re part of a team. Working as part of a team presents both challenges and benefits. You have others around you who understand the work you do and can support you. That’s a great benefit. You may even develop friendships with your coworkers that extend outside of work.

Because of the trust and comradery coworkers typically develop, teammates often feel confident confiding in one another. They routinely share their likes and dislikes, they sometimes grumble and complain to one another. That’s all good and natural.

The challenge in being a good teammate is that you want to listen and be supportive but you need to stay above the drama. There’s a real risk to developing cynicism about the work, your agency, or other team members if you allow yourself to be too engaged in the challenges someone else may be experiencing.

Your best response is probably just about the same as if you were talking with a youth you support. You’d sympathize, offer encouragement, ask how you could help, and try to shift things to a healthier perspective. It’s no different with your coworkers. A good teammate helps everyone stay focused and engaged, especially when times are tough.

As a teammate, you likely have a supervisor. This person also has many hats to wear and when it comes to you, the most important ones are trainer, mentor, role model, cheerleader, sounding board, coach, and advocate.

Even though there is a reporting line between you, it is more helpful to see your supervisor as a teammate. This person has your best interests in mind and is committed to helping you grow and develop in your role. They are an asset to you, not an adversary. It would be a mistake to see that reporting line as an “us vs them” divider. You’re all on the same team, all working on a mission to make a better future for the youth you serve.

The teammate hat is like a giant umbrella that unites everyone under the same cause!

YOUR COMMUNITY AMBASSADOR HATOne of the many challenges you face as a youth worker is that the general public does not fully understand the work you do. Some may see it as a ‘nice to have” but most don’t yet see it as a “need to have.”

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There are a lot of reasons for that gap in understanding and you’ve gotten some insight about it throughout this learning module. Regardless of the reasons, the solution is the same: they need to hear from you!

When you see yourself as a community ambassador, you will look for opportunities to spread the word about the value of your work. This could be indirectly, by modeling how to interact positively with young people in your community. Or it could be directly, by attending community events and showcasing your organization.

You have the power to influence the field of Youth Intervention. Your actions impact the perception that the general community has about Youth Intervention work. And that determines the amount of support Youth Intervention programs receive from the community.

When you put on your community ambassador hat, you represent the very best of what you provide for the benefit of your community. Let them see what you know is true about the young people all around them.

YOUR FUND DEVELOPMENT HATIf your agency has a specific fund development department, it can be easy to think they hold all the responsibility for raising the money your program needs to operate. In fact, agencies just can’t afford to leave this important task to any one individual or department – it truly takes a team effort.

Depending on your role, you may be involved in collecting data such as outcome surveys or program reports. You may be asked to provide relevant participant stories that highlight program successes funders are looking for in their grant requirements.

You may be asked to attend fundraising events and share your personal stories about working with youth and how the funding you receive is put to good use. You may sometimes be called on to help make a case for additional funding in order to expand the reach of your program, serve an emerging population in your community, or address a social issue that has come up.

Even though you may not have been drawn to youth work thinking that you’d be contributing as part of the fund development function, you are one of the greatest assets your agency has to shape the stories that move people to donate and fund your good work.

You have firsthand information – direct knowledge and experience of the value of your program. You know how your program is impacting the young people it serves. You hear their stories, you feel their struggles, you

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celebrate their successes. That’s exactly what your fund development team needs to know.So, rather than seeing requests for reports and data and stories as an inconvenient part of the job, embrace the role you play because that’s exactly how you’ll be able to help even more young people.

Bottom line: this hat helps pay the bills.

YOUR ADVOCATE HATOff the top of your head, what comes to mind when you think of an advocate?

Champion? Supporter? Fighter? Crusader? A spokesperson? An activist? Someone who stands up for others? Someone who defends the rights of others? A person who supports others to make their voices heard, or to help

them learn to speak up for themselves?

An advocate is all of those and more.

And just as there are many different ways to think about what it means to be an advocate, there are many different ways to put your advocacy into action:

As an advocate for youthBeing a youth worker, you naturally advocate for the youth in your program just by the work you do. While that’s great, it just isn’t enough. You’ve got to think bigger…

As an advocate for your programBeing vocal about the need for your program, proudly sharing the mission of your organization, and showing others the results your program achieves is a basic requirement for many youth workers. While that’s great, it just isn’t enough. You can still think bigger…

As an advocate for your professionBeing a professional in the field of Youth Intervention gives you a unique platform. You have the experience that allows you to see what would make the work even more meaningful, what is needed to help yourself and other youth workers grow and advance. Adding your voice to the message we need our decision-makers and policy-shapers to

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hear is great, and there’s still more you can do. You’ve got to think bigger…

As an advocate for systemic changeSystemic change is a very big idea and at first it might be a little challenging to wrap your head around.

Often Youth Intervention programs address symptoms of problems but not the root cause. Because youth workers are so focused on meeting the immediate needs of young people in their programs, they can forget to look at the bigger picture.

This excerpt from “Exploring How an Idea Developed in Business Applies to Youth Development,” was written by Stell Simonton and published in Youth Today, October 12, 2017. It provides a perspective that will help shed light on how that bigger picture can look:

“Teaching grit as character education, for example, has been directed at low income children in place of addressing the very real inequities they face. Anyone who has worked seriously with kids in tough circumstances spends a lot of time providing support and advice, and if grit interventions can provide an additional resource, great, but if as a society, we are not also working to improve the educational and economic realities these young people face, then we are engaging in a cruel hoax…”

Looking at the bigger picture would have us not only address the needs of youth in the moment, but really get to work addressing the direct causes and conditions that create the needs in the first place.

Many young people face real injustice and in your unique role as a youth worker you have the ability to truly address and advocate for improved social, economic, gender, and racial equity. Thinking bigger doesn't have to be scary, but it does require you to step up and work toward a more just society. 

There is literally no end to all the ways you, as a youth worker, can be an advocate. One of the biggest outcomes of all your advocacy work is education – helping others understand the critical need for Youth intervention programs and recognize the valuable contribution your work makes to their communities.

Can you imagine if everyone instantly understood what you do when you tell them you’re a youth worker? If everyone understood Youth Intervention programs as an essential service that our society simply cannot afford to overlook or take for granted?

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That may sound like a dream right now. But you can help make the dream a reality.

The advocate hat is one that no youth worker should ever leave home without. Advocacy is just too important to ever be left out of your ensemble. It ought to be written right into your job description: action-oriented, vocal, passionate, unfailing champion for youth and social justice.

YOUR PROFESSIONAL HATProfessionalism. Very few people outside the field of youth work consider it to be a profession. Even within the field, there are a number of youth workers who wouldn’t see it as a profession either.

But bringing a level of professionalism to the field of Youth Intervention is exactly what will help the general public finally appreciate the enormous value of the work you do.

It’s an earned respect. It grows out of adhering to principles of practice It demands your discipline and perseverance. You’ll explore this in more depth in learning module 4: Ethics.

One thing all professions advance is the need for their practitioners to continually keep up with all the information they can about advances and ideas within their field of practice.

When you connect with people who share your passion for youth work, you’ll find new ideas, encouragement, support, and resources to help you make the most of your work and advance your career in the best way you can imagine.

There are any number of ways you can find and connect with likeminded people in your profession. You can keep in touch with the wider field of Youth Intervention by joining an association, or participating in a networking group, or subscribing to publications, or bookmarking some online resources that interest you.

Spend some time searching the web to find publications and groups that interest and resonate with you. You’ll find some links here to help jumpstart your exploration.

Link to learn more:Youth TodaySpark ActionAmerica’s Promise Alliance

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National Collaboration for Youth

When it comes to your own career development, how you define and pursue professionalism will be a key to your long-term enrichment and job satisfaction.

The hat of professionalism looks good on you!

HOW BIG IS YOUR HAT RACK?Admittedly, there are many more hats a youth worker must wear than what was covered here. How many others can you think of? The hats we chose to highlight have to do with the bigger picture perspective about your role, not as much about the day-to-day activities of your work.

The idea is to encourage you to lift your head above the daily routine from time to time. Expand your vision about what’s possible for you to do as a youth worker. Try on some bigger roles that you can play.

Regardless of which hat you’re wearing at any given time, you’ll find you have to be fluid in shifting between the different roles a youth worker plays; friend, confidant, disciplinarian, leader, guidance counselor, activity director, janitor…

This is one profession where variety in your work day takes on a whole new meaning!

Youth workers are not invincible. You live your own life concurrently with supporting youth. Your value to a young person is directly related to how well you care for yourself outside of that relationship.

Self-care is a critical survival skill for youth workers. Working with youth presents many challenges. A normal day may have as many ups and downs as a roller coaster. Some days, your patience will be tested, your nerves will be frayed, you’ll feel exhausted, and you may find yourself asking how you’re even going to get through.The key is to be aware of how you respond to stress so you can be prepared to deal with it. Practicing self-care on a regular basis will help you reduce stress as well as maintain your overall health and well-being.

Stress and burnout are possibly the two greatest threats to your career as a youth worker. They are two sides of the same coin. Stress is typically a short-

3. THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF SELF-CARE

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term response to certain situations that arise. We actually need some stress in order to accomplish things. Too much stress is the problem.

Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion. It is thought to be the result of chronic stress. Burnout can cause you to develop cynicism about your work, drive you to detach and disengage, cause feelings of ineffectiveness. Basically, you just can’t function effectively on a personal or professional level when you’re experiencing burnout.

You can’t avoid stress altogether but you can put strategies in place to lessen the effects of stress. By consistently practicing preventive strategies, and paying attention to the warning signs, you’ll be able to avoid burnout. That is the purpose of self-care.

Every youth worker is different and a self-care technique that works for one may not work for another. Take the time to discover for yourself what works best for you. Explore different strategies, try different exercises, practice different techniques and when you find something that works, make it a regular part of your own custom-designed self-care plan.

You’ll find a host of resources on the web to help you create and customize your own plan. It’ll take some time to get to the perfect fit for you but make the time. This is something you can do even a little bit each day and you’ll see results right away.

To give you an idea of what’s available, have a look at the University of Buffalo’s School of Social Work webpage.

Link to learn more: Introduction to Self-Care

Because self-care is so important, we’ll include a self-care exercise in each learning module.

Self-care is a huge part of your job. Well actually, as the name implies, it IS your job! Just as you’re working to instill real resiliency in the youth you serve, finding ways to take care of yourself and deal with the stresses of your work will make you a more resilient youth worker.

Shout-out to self-care: THE CHOICE IS YOURS!

Since self-care requires that you make a choice to do it, this first exercise gives you the option to choose just one thing you will do today to rejuvenate yourself:

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Do something to energize your body; stretch, walk, swim, run – whatever physical activity you genuinely enjoy

Have a hot bath or shower, add some soothing music Make a list of everything you’re grateful for Spend quality time with someone who makes you feel special Take a nap Be still in a quiet place, with no distractions

When you’re done, make a note of how you feel. If your choice worked well for you, add it to your custom-created self-care plan so you’ll remember to do it again. If your choice didn’t do the trick, don’t stress about it. Just try a different choice tomorrow. Aaaaah, that feels good!

There is rarely a “one size fits all” strategy when working with youth. Different youth require different approaches. However, the more tools you have in your toolbox, the better your results will be. Professional development is a guaranteed way to put the proper tools in your toolbox.

Professional development has many aims but the biggest outcome is that you will develop competence over time. Competency consists of knowledge, skills, and confidence. That’s an unbeatable combination for any youth worker!

Think of Youth Intervention as part science and part art.

It is science because you need to understand best practices and measure outcomes to ensure that what you are doing works. And it is increasingly recognized that a lack of fundamental knowledge when working with youth can harm them.

It is art because you need to have the instincts for timing, the nuances of verbal and non-verbal communication, the ability to navigate ethical dilemmas, the skill to think on your feet and improvise when things don’t go as planned…all of which are difficult to teach. The good news is that the art part can be improved when a Youth Intervention worker is willing to learn.

No one is expecting you to handle every interaction or every situation with youth perfectly. You’re working with real people – perfect isn’t even possible. But, everyone is expecting you to know when you should seek help and consult a supervisor. The more you know where your competency

4. THE ROLE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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(knowledge, skills, and confidence) begins and ends, the better off you, your program, and the youth you work with will be.

The skills and insights you bring to work make a difference. Every Youth Intervention worker - whether new to the field or more experienced - can and should enhance their skills by actively participating in professional development opportunities offered by their employer, as well as seeking out new learning on their own.

Whether you’re pursuing professional development to refresh yourself on what you already know, or to gain fresh new perspectives that will take what you know to the next level, it is your obligation to the field and to the youth you serve to improve in some way each and every day.

IT’S ALL ABOUT YOUTH

The better you become in your role,the better the outcomes for the youth you serve

Would you trust a trained surgeon to practice dentistry on you? Just because a doctor is trained in one area does not mean they can do every type of surgery or medical practice. Unfortunately, this is often what happens in the field of Youth Intervention.

There is great diversity in how people enter the field of Youth Intervention. Some enter the profession through the traditional education route and view their work as their primary occupation. Others enter the profession without formal education or training and gain both knowledge and skills on the job.

Because of the diversity in educational backgrounds, there are times when Youth Intervention workers are placed in a position with little to no training relevant to the work they need to do. And as it is in any line of work, a certain skills set is needed to be effective in providing Youth Intervention services.

Make no mistake about it: the youth you serve will benefit in multiple ways when you are well trained. Training will help you better understand the needs and motives of the youth you serve. This will help you to relate more effectively to young people and make a better interpersonal connection.

With training, you will become better at:

Developing and executing interesting activities for youth Helping young people resolve behavioral problems and interpersonal

conflicts with less stress

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Responding to changing or unexpected situations Performing the ‘difficult duties’ (e.g. being the ‘enforcer’ of rules and

holding youth accountable)You must be flexible in your work because much of what you do is improvised. But this also requires you to be completely ready to help in ways you may not have expected.

Trends, research, best practices, and circumstances change. To be the best youth worker you can be requires that you keep up with changes and keep stretching your own knowledge, skills, and confidence. That’s how you’ll grow in your career. And the youth you serve deserve nothing less.

CREATING RESPECT FOR YOUR PROFESSIONThe general public typically does not view youth work as a final destination career. It tends to regard working in youth programs as a “stepping stone” or as a supplemental job opportunity. This does not help our field get the adequate funding it needs nor does it help attract dedicated and skillful youth workers.

Through professional development, you will gain knowledge and skills that will help you to produce better outcomes and be proud of the work you are accomplishing. Professional development will also help you better convey the impact of your work and increase your sense of pride to the general public.

You need to remember that:

Conducting yourself appropriately while you are with youth and what you say about your work has a big impact on how Youth Intervention work is perceived by the general public

Having a positive attitude towards your work and the youth you work with can change people’s views of Youth Intervention

Being recognized as a professional providing a valuable service to the community will help make sure that you have the respect and resources needed to effectively work with youth

CREATING YOUR CAREERFor youth programs, an ongoing problem is a high turnover rate among youth workers. Research repeatedly shows that professional development can reduce employee turnover. Additionally, offering professional development attracts and retains good youth workers.

How? Through professional development and adding new tools:

You will feel better prepared for your work and feel less stress

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You will feel more confident and competent You will experience better outcomes when working with youth

Experiencing less stress and achieving positive outcomes means you are less likely to ‘burn out’ and leave the organization or the field of Youth Intervention. The more you learn and the longer you serve youth the better you get at Youth Intervention work.

Youth need you to get ‘good at your work’ and develop a lifelong passion for serving youth. You have the choice to continue learning and make youth work your career.

BENEFITTING YOU, YOUR PROGRAM, AND YOUR AGENCYAny Youth Intervention program is only as strong as its least trained staff. This includes the program you work in.

By building your competency, not only will you be better in your own work, but you will be:

Better able to provide guidance and feedback to your colleagues in their work with youth. This makes the organization you work with more impactful overall.

Prepared and well-versed in Youth Intervention, which will enable you to represent your program in its best light when networking with or collaborating with other organizations.

Able to use a common language with other Youth Intervention workers, which is a critical part of fostering the growth of Youth Intervention work.

LEARNING MODULE SUMMARY

The Field of Youth Intervention encompasses many different types of programs and approaches – there is no “one size fits all” solution for meeting the needs of youth.

We like to say that the programs available are as diverse as the needs of the youth they serve. And that’s a good thing because each young person is different, with their own unique set of interests, needs and challenges. Having a variety of programs to direct youth to ensures there will be one that offers the best chance for each youth to thrive.

There are so many ways that you as an individual youth worker can influence and impact the course of young person’s life. You’ve most likely come into this work because you have a genuine passion to see youth flourish and you

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know you have the heart to help them. Not everyone can do this work so your willingness is both remarkable and rare.

Anecdotal evidence – good, common sense – says youth work works. After more than 100 years of analysis and measurement, now there is also plenty of research that confirms that Youth Intervention programs work.

Youth experience positive outcomes through Youth Intervention programs. Youth Intervention programs are cost-effective solutions for communities. With support from their communities, all youth can succeed and it is the collective responsibility of every youth worker and every community member to do whatever we can to make that happen.

Having more Youth Intervention programs makes sense. That means youth and their communities need more people like you willing to learn and teach at the same time.

Youth need you to be the best youth worker you can be. They are counting on you. Thanks for your commitment to continue to improve your knowledge, skills, and confidence through ongoing professional development!

LEARNING OBJECTIVES REVIEW

1. Gain a broader perspective about the field of Youth Intervention and the value of youth work: Youth work has a more than 100-year history and the field

continues to evolve and grow even today Consider how you fit into a global network of people who share your

passion for helping youth succeed The impact of your work, no matter the type of program, extends to

young people, your community, and society as a whole

2. Understand your role as a youth worker: Research shows that the caring relationship a youth worker

provides is associated with a number of youth well-being outcomes Youth workers are called upon to wear many different hats in their

daily work

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The strength of the field of Youth Intervention is the diversity of programs available to serve youth, each with a common goal helping young people become productive adults and contributing members of society rather than consumers of public services

3. Create a customized self-care plan: Youth work is a challenging field with a high potential for stress and

burnout so you cannot afford to overlook self-care There is no single strategy that works for everyone; explore and

experiment to find the self-care strategies that work best for you You learned that self-care is actually a part of your job, something

you need to attend to every day

4. Learn the importance of continuing your professional development: Research shows that the better trained a youth worker is, the better

the outcomes of their programs for the youth they serve Your commitment to continued learning will bring greater credibility

to the work you do and will help advance the field By seeing yourself as a professional, you will be helping to raise

awareness of the need for Youth Intervention programs You now have the opportunity to create your own career

LEARNING MODULE QUIZ

You’ve taken the first step in earning your Youth Intervention Certification – nice work!

This overview of The Field of Youth Intervention and the role of a youth worker is meant to give you a broader perspective for how you think about your career. Being a youth worker is too often seen as a temporary job. Making the shift to seeing youth work as your profession is a goal you can achieve if you care to build a career for yourself. What you’ve learned is a good starting point.

Now you will reinforce your learning by passing an 8-question quiz. If you’ve paid attention to the videos and carefully studied the content in this workbook, you are well-prepared for the quiz. You need a score of at least 80% to pass. You will have two chances to pass. Good luck!

I’m ready to take The Field of Youth Intervention quiz

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REFERENCE SOURCES1 Pittman, Karen J., "Promoting Youth Development: Strengthening the Role of Youth Service and Community Organizations" (1991). School K-12. Paper 42. h p://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/slcek12/42 2 Murphey, David, Bandy, Tawana, Schmitz, Hannah, Moore, Kristin “Caring Adults: Important for Positive Child Well-being” (2013). Research Brief published by Child Trends December 2013, Publication #2103-543 Swayze, D., & Buskovick, D. (2012). Minnesota Youth Intervention Programs: A Statistical Analysis of Participant Pre- and Post-Program Surveys Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Justice Programs.4 The Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2011). No Place for Kids: Case for Reducing Juvenile Incarceration. Baltimore, MD: Mendel, Richard A. Retrieved from www.aecf.org.

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